The invention relates to a fan for an air vent such as in the dashboard of an automobile that is formed in the shape of a sports figure and whose arms rotate to serve as fan blades with the device being capable of dispersing an aromatic scent for freshening an area, such as the personnel compartment of the vehicle.
There are air fresheners or deodorizers for automobiles that are formed in the shaped for various action figures such as the deodorizer disclosed in Design Pat. No. 196,639 to Irving, which hangs from any part of the interior compartment of a vehicle, Another air freshener is that disclosed in Design Pat. No. 287,049 to Torres, which is simply a thin card that hangs from any part of the interior compartment of a vehicle.
The Torres patent does disclosed an imprint of a soccer player but there is no action associated with the sports figure. Similarly, there is no action associated with the caricature depicted in the Irving patent. As such, it simply hangs in the vehicle in a non-noticeable non-entertaining fashion.
The present invention provides the benefits of devices such as those mentioned above, in addition, to providing a fan like effect with the rotating arms that mimic a throwing action of a sports figure, such as a baseball player, a basketball player, a football player, and other sport caricatures that have a throwing action as part of the sport game.
Aromatic/deodorizing scents can be optionally incorporated into the device by addition of aromatic or deodorizing agents such as beads, wax or oil in absorbent material in a designated portion of the device, preferably the head portion of the device. Should the head portion be designated to contain the scent/deodorizing means, then access means to a small holding area or reservoir could be through a slot at the top of the head, the face, a face visor, a face guard, a face mask, or the cap/helmet portion of the head. It is preferable that scenting means be something other than oils, although oils in an absorbent material would work. Preferably means such as beads or scented wax would be longer lasting and easier to market and use with the device. For example, if the sports figure is a football player, the helmet portion may be integral to the body portion but the visor or face mask may be removable to insert the aromatic/deodorizing pellets (beads), wax or oils. Another access means is to provide an opening or aperture, such as a slotted area on top of the helmet. If the figure is a baseball player, then the face or cap may be removable to insert the scenting/deodorizing means, or again the aperture on top of the cap would work.
The device is attached by any of a variety of known means in the art, such as a clip, to the a ventilation grill, such as those on the dashboard of a motor vehicle. For example, this can be done with an attachment to the back body portion of the device using a clip or spring wire or other attachment means, that maintains the back of the sports figure aligned in a generally vertical face to face parallel relationship with the grill face of the vehicle ventilation system. When the ventilation fan is turned on, the device is close enough to the ventilation grill face to capture the air flow, and the arms of the caricature are pinned near the shoulder area in a central location with rotating bearing means so as to rotate freely. Rotating bearing means may be concentric sleeves at the arm pivot point. The anns are typically thin but may be angled slightly or cupped at a portion thereof to capture the flow of air and to activate the rotation for mimicking a forward throwing action or in a reverse pattern to mimic an underhand throwing action, such as by a softball pitcher.
The arms therein are designed to capture air and rotate like two opposite fan blades. Alternatively, multiple arms may be added such as four arms 90 degrees apart or six arms 60 degrees apart, to mimic a continual rapid rotation of the multiple arms.
When used in an automobile, it is anticipated that children in the vehicle will be fascinated by the sports figure arms rotating and at the same time, the air in the vehicle personnel compartment can be refreshed and/or deodorized.